Bracelet structure



Dec. 6, 1932. E. G. CARLSON 1,889,972

BRACELET STRUCTURE Filed March 4, 1932 Patented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWIN G. CARLSON, OF EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE' ISLAND, ASSIG-NOR TO ALBERT E. R. SPEIDEL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, DOING BUSINESS AS SPEIDEL BROTHERS BRACELET STRUCTURE Application filed March 4, 1932. Serial No. 596,756.

This invention relates to an improved bracelet structure of the type which comprises a take-up means made up of two or more pivotally connected foldable members which are adapted to be folded together and held in folded position or to be moved into extended position relative to each other.

One object of the invention is the provision of a yieldingly supported extension member carried by a portion of the take-up means and having resilient means for resisting the extension of said yieldingly supported member whereby the bracelet structure is constantly held closely about the arm of the wearer.

Another object of the invention is the provision or a releasable locking means for holding one end portion of a flexible bracelet section securely to a part of the take-up means in such a manner that the flexible bracelet section may be disconnected therefrom and a link added to or removed from the flexible section to adapt the bracelet structure to the arm of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a, bracelet structure comprising a take-up means, flexible bracelet section secured to opposite ends of said take-up means, and a yieldable extension member interposed between one end of said take-up means and one of said flexible sections for permitting automatic extension of the bracelet structure to fit the arm of the wearer.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a non-resilient bracelet link structure provided with a resiliently mounted extension member carried by the take-up means for permitting resilient adjustment of the bracelet structure to the arm of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a take-up means comprising foldable plates, one of said plates being provided with a longitudinal groove adapted to receive the other plate members when the parts are in their folded position, and one of said last named plate members being of rectangular cross-section and having an extension member yieldingly mounted therein for permitting automatic extension of said bracelet structure to fit the arm of the wearer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to various improved details of construction and novel arrangements of the parts as will be more fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the im proved bracelet structure showing the same arranged in the form of a bracelet and having the opposite ends of the flexible sections attached to the take-up means and a watch respectively,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the takeup means, showing the parts in partially opened position with the opposite ends thereof secured to flexible bracelet sections,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken through the take-up means when the parts are in folded position,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the take-up means, showing the parts in extended position, and illustrating the connections between opposite ends of the take-upmeans and flexible bracelet sections,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal plan view of the take-up means, certain of the parts being broken away to show more clearly the manner of mounting the extension member in one of the foldable plates,

Fig. 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of the locking means employed for securing one of the foldable plates-to one end of one of the flexible bracelet sections, the locking member being shown in its open position,

Fig. 7 is asectional view, similar to Fig. 6, showing the locking member inits closed position, and,

Fig. 8 is a member.

Heretofore, in the construction of extensible wrist watch braceletswherein a flexible bracelet section was formed from-interconnected link members it has been found necessary or desirable to employ resilient links in making the flexible section, or to interpose a flexible unit between the links of the flexible section and the watch. In the former case the flexible construction of the links has added materially to the cost of perspectlveview of the locking 9 manufacture, and the movement of the link parts relative to each other has caused portions of the bracelet to catch into or wear the sleeve of the user; while in the latter case the resilient connecting members are expensive to make andmust. be formed in a variety of shapesor designs: to conform with the various shapes and styles of links employed. In having the resilient extension member carried by oneof the plates'ofthe take-up means in such a manner astoform, 111 substance, a-

. part thereof, the take-up means may be used thetake-up means witha wrist watch 5, The

flexible bracelet sections. 3 andt, as shown, are each made. up of'a plurality of. rectangular link membersfi,v which are joined to each other by connecting bands 7 connecting con tig-uous portions of adjacent links.

The take-up. means 2, as shown herein, con.- sists of. end plates-9 and 10and an intermediate plate 11, the endsofithe intermediate plate 11 being each. piyotally connected to one end of the end plates -9 and 10, as by means ofend plate 9. The plate 11 has'a sharp bend pivot pins 14 and 15 respectively. The-end plate 9Jis-channel-shaped in cross-section, being provided with a. back 16. and side flanges. 17, one. end; of the back 16 extending beyond: the side flanges 17 and being bent over to form a hook 18'located. adjacent to oneend. of the channeL- The pin 14 is mounted within oppositely positioned openings formed inthe flanges 1-7 ata point. adjacent to the end of. the plate. 9; opposite to that upon which. the hook 18 is located. The side flanges I7 are also. provided with oppositely positioned indents 20, which'willbe more fully described hereinaftenand an: eccentric locking member 22 having oppositely positioned pivot extensions 23 which are adapted to be. positioned within oppositely arranged openings formed inthe fl'anges l'l adjacentitothe hook 18.. The locking member 22* may be formed in any desired manner, but in the present instanceis shaped byrolling. a metal plate intoa substantially cylindrical form and having pivot extensions 23carried: by one end of the plate in; such a position that they are eccentrically located relative tothe. axis of the cylinder.

The intermediate plate 11 is without side flanges and hasoppositely positioned. notches 24cut in; the sides thereofv and so positioned as to-permit the plate 1 1. to clear the indents when the intermediate plate is moved into its folded position. within. the channel of theformed therein adjacent to the pivot pin 15 in such a manner as to permit the plate 11 to fit closely against one side of the plate 10 and the back 16 of the plate 9 when the parts are folded together thus taking up a minimum space inthe folded'positionof the parts. l I

The end plate 10 is substantially rectangular-in transverse cross section, having oppositely positioned longitudinallyextending front,-back and sidewalls, the sidewalls contacting with the flanges 17 of the plate 9 when the parts are in assembled position, and the opposed front and back walls extending between said side walls, the back wall being provided with an exteriorly rounded. longitudinal portion 29ifor a purpose to be more fully set forth, hereinafter; Thelongitudi naledge portionsof the opposedlfront and backwalls, that is, those portions located inrmediately adj acent. to the, side walls are spaced. fromeach other a sufficient distance toform guides for the-side-p'ortions 27 ofthe extensionmember 25 while the central longitudinally extending portion-ofsaid baclc wa'l-l is bulged outwardly throughout a substantial portion of its length, asindicated at 29,. to provide a guideway-centrally ofthe plate 10' for the round. coiled spring 80. While the. central guideway for the coiled spring may be formed in various ways, as by rounding or offsetting the central longitudinal: por-.- tion of each or both of saidfront andback walls,. it isshown herein as being formed by rounding the back wall, as a method-welt adapted for the purpose without interfering with thepositioningof the side walls within the flanges 17 when the parts are in their folded positions. In either'case itfispno-- posed to so shape or form the central longitudinally extending portions of the opposite front and back wallsthat the distance separ rating them may be substantially equal ton-the distance separating the'inner'faces of the side portions 27 of the extension member 2-5 and thus form a longitudinal channel or guideway for receiving the round coiled: spring 30 when the parts are in assembled position. The extension member 25 has the central portion; cut away as at..26, to form side and. end portions 27 and 28 respectively. A roundcompression spring 30 is positionedwithin thecentral recess 26 of the extension member, and has one end supported by a lug '31 formed integral ;with one end28 of the extension member, while the opposite end is in engagement with an inturned lug 32 carried by a portion of the end plate 10 and projecting within the recess 26. That face of the rectangular plate 10 which is outwardly of the plates 9- and l l-when the parts are: folded position is rounded exteriorly along the longitudinal center linethereof as'indicated at 29,,to' providespace-for the: round compression spring 30'fwithout undulyuin rec creasing the thickness of the take-up means when the parts are folded together. The end link 6 of the flexible section 3 may be attached directly to the outer end portion 28 of the extension member by means of aconnecting band 7 after the manner employed in connecting the adjacent links 6 of the flexible section to each other. The end plate 10 is provided with opposed openings 34:, formed in the sides thereof, and so positioned as to be engaged by the indents 20 carried by the flanges 17 when the several plates are in their folded position to hold the parts of the take-up means against accidental separation.

The ends of the flexible bracelet sections which are secured to the watch 5 may be permanently or releasably attached thereto, and by moving the parts of the take-up means to their extended positions the combined watch and bracelet may be passed over the hand of the user, and then, upon moving the plates 9, 10 and 11 into their folded position the combined watch and bracelet will be drawn into approximately the desired relation with the arm of the wear-er. By providing the hook 18 and locking member 22 it is possible to remove from the flexible bracelet section 4 one or more links if desired, or add one or more links in order to give the bracelet structure the desired length for fitting the arm. The locking member 22 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 6 for removing a link member 6 from the hook 18, and is turned into its looking position, as shown in Fig. 7, after the removal of or addition of a link to securely lock the end link of the flexible section 4 within the hook l8.

In order to secure such minor adjustmen in the length of the bracelet structure as may be found necessary or desirable in holding the bracelet closely about the arm of the user without creating any undue binding effect and to permit such slight variations in the length of the bracelet such as may be desirable in moving the arm, the extension member 25 is yieldingly mounted within the end plate 10 and maintained at all times under the influence of the compression spring 30 to hold the bracelet structure under the desired degree of tension about the arm. This construc-. tion permits such extension of the bracelet automatically during movement of the arm as may be necessary to hold the bracelet means closely about the arm but without producing any uncomfortable binding effect.

Upon the movement of the plates 9, 10 and 11 into their folded positions the plates 10 and 11 are both adapted to lie within the channel of the plate 9 in such a narrow space that the flanges 1'7 substantially cover the opposite side edges of the plates 10 and 11 to form a neat and compact connection between the flexible sections, and the indented portion 20 of the flanges 17 engage the openings 34 to releasably hold the plates against separation. The'plates 10 and 11 are of such length as to fit closely within the channel of the plate 9 with their end portions located adjacent to the locking member 22, as indicated at 34-, when the locking member is in its looking position, shown in Fig. 7, and thus prevent any accidental movement of the locking member 22 into such position as would permit the release of the bracelet link 6 from the hook 18.

What I claim is 1. In a bracelet structure, a connecting means comprising a plate provided with a curved end portion forming a hook, and having upstanding flanges spaced from said curved end portion, and an eccentrically mounted locking member positioned between and supported bysaid flanges, said locking member being provided with a cylindrical portion movable into position to retain a connector member within said hook or movable away from said hook to permit removal of the connector member therefrom.

'2. In a bracelet structure, a connecting means comprising a plate provided with a return bent end portion spaced from the base thereof to provide an open ended hook, means carriedby said plate for supporting a locking member, a cylindrical locking member pivotallysupported by said plate for movement about an axis eccentrically positioned relative to the curved surface thereof to bridge the opening between the return bent end and base portion of the hook and retain a connector member within said hook or away from said hook to permit removal of the connector member therefrom.

3. In a bracelet structure, a take-up means comprising plates pivotally connected together for movement into extended position or into folded relation with each other, one of said plates being provided with opposed side flanges for receiving the other plates therebetw'een when the parts are in folded relation with each other, a hook carried by said first named plate for engaging a bracelet link, and an eccentric locking member pivotally supported by said side flanges for holding the link against separation from said hook.

4. In an extension means for bracelets, a member provided with a longitudinal channel enclosed by front, back and side walls, an extension member slidably mounted in said channel and provided with spaced side portions, a round spiral spring member positioned between the spaced side portions of said extension member and having end portions engaging the channel member and extension member respectively, the longitudinal edges of the opposite front and back walls of said channel member being spaced from each other a sufficient distance to provide guides for the side portions of said extension member and the central longitudinal portions of: the frontal-1d back: walls: of: will. channel? member being'spaced firom each other a dis tanc'e substantially equal: to: the: distancezseps arating'the side portions. 013 said extension memb'en to: provide therewith a; guide housiing: for'saicli eoilmi spring 5.. In a bracelet structure, a connecting meanscomprising a plate provided wifiha; curved endipention'fbrmi-ng a hook; andihaving upstanding'fianges spaced from each-other and located adjacent toltheopen end of said hook, amla cylindrical-1 closure member pivotally supp01ttecl' by said: flanges eccentrical liy of the eylincltical surface thereof 017 movement intelp'esition tosenve= as a closure for the open end of said heok.

6.. An extension device for brackets compri'sin'g a plurality of foldable plates-z pivotallyeonnectedl tegether, one of said plates beingprovidied with opposed side flanges fer the reception of the remaining plates when the parts are in fiolded relation and having a curved end: portion forming a ho'ok ion the reception of a link; and a member pi vetally supported: by said side flangesand serving'as a elfosnrefor the: open end of said hook or movable out efengagement'therewitli to permit;- sepaa'atienz of the link from the hook; said; closure member being so positioned as to permit movement of the fbld'able plates-Withimthe flanged position.

In testimony whereofi I haveafixed' my signature. 7

EDWIN CARLSUN."

plate when in its: link retaining v 

